1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a catenary system for supplying electricity for the operation of electric locomotives. In particular, the present invention relates to a gantry type movable catenary system which is installed in a railway crossing section to supply electricity for the operation of electric) locomotives, provides connection and disconnection of the catenary or overhead electric wire, and is configured to move reciprocally in lateral directions (along the rail) of the crossing to allow movement of over-height heavy transport vehicles and special motor vehicles and the like or the passing of other electric locomotives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Touted as the new means for transportation of the 21st century, the electric railway introduced alongside the high-speed railway has been further developed to have a speeding-up of services, increased capacity and shortened interval between operations, that have collectively resulted in a mass transit service which requires a catenary system for further improvements in performance, reliability and security.
In general, the term “catenary system” refers to a system for supplying electric power through contact with the current collector of electric locomotives. In other words, the required electric power for the operation of the electric locomotive is supplied from a constructed catenary to a current collector such as a locomotive pantograph. The catenary system for supplying electricity to the electric locomotive is classified according to the method of supplying the electricity. The overhead-wire catenary system is configured in a variety of ways depending on the conditions of the overhead train line.
Overhead-wire catenary systems are classified into an overhead catenary system, a rigid catenary system and a third rail system. In addition, the suspension system includes a direct suspension system and a catenary suspension system. The catenary suspension system includes the following systems:
1) Simple catenary system: This is a system constituted of a set of a messenger wire and a contact wire and configured such that the contact wire is parallel to the the orbital plane via the messenger wire.
2) Stitched Y-line simple catenary system: This is a system in which an electric wire of approximately 15 cm (called as a Y-line) is installed in parallel with the messenger wire in the vicinity of the support point of the simple catenary suspension system to which the catenary system is suspended.
3) Twin simple catenary system: This is a system developed so as to increase speed and collection performance without changing the system height of a conventional simple catenary section and configured such that two sets of system height contact lines are installed in parallel at regular intervals (100 mm is standard).
4) Heavy simple catenary system: This is a system in which the tension of electric wire is enlarged in the messenger wire of the simple catenary system.
5) compound catenary system: This is a system configured so as to install an auxiliary messenger wire in the messenger wire and the contact wire of the simple catenary system, suspend the auxiliary messenger wire as a dropper from the messenger wire, and suspend the contact wire in the auxiliary messenger wire with the hanger.
6) Synthetic compound catenary system: This is a system which uses a synthetic element combining a spring with an air damper to a dropper of the compound catenary system.
7) Heavy compound catenary system: This is a system in which the thickness and tension of the contact wire of the compound catenary system are greatly enlarged.
As described above, all the suspension systems of the contact wires conventionally used in the art are structured as a fixed system. Such a system of contact wires can select a suspension system in accordance with characteristics such as a traveling speed, capacity for collection of current and transport capacity when the electric locomotive is traveling. These fixed suspension systems have no problem functioning with general rail-travel by the electric locomotives, but in the case where they cross sections of general roads and railroads, the passage height is limited and the crossing of over-height heavy transport vehicles or special motor vehicles becomes impossible, thereby lowering the utilization of the road. Further, if the contact wire section uses an extra high voltage of AC 25 kV or DC 1500V, there was a problem that this can cause a safety-related accident such as an electric shock.
Regarding a movable catenary system applicable to the crossing section as mentioned above, the present inventors have suggested a movable catenary system at a railway crossings as disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-0728467 (Patent Document 1), which comprises: a first and a second support structures which are installed on the left and right sides of the crossing and which are constructed such that a plurality of horizontal steel pipe columns and a plurality of vertical steel pipe columns are assembled; a first and a second outer booms installed on the first and the second support structures; a first and a second inner booms which are interconnected by moving close to each other while being supported on the first and the second outer booms, or are temporarily removed from the crossing by moving away from each other while being supported on the first and the second outer booms; a first and a second movable electric catenary sections which are installed on the lower portions of the first and the second inner booms to move together With the first and the second inner booms, and connected with the current collector of an electric locomotive to supply electric power; a first and a second driving sections which are connected with the first and the second inner booms to move the first and the second inner booms; and a control section which controls the first and the second driving sections according to the presence or absence of the electric locomotive in proximity to the crossing section to operate the first and the second inner booms.
However, since the structure as suggested in Patent Document 1 is a structure in which the support structure of the movable contact line is driven in a state being erected in the air (overhead wire structure), it is very difficult to apply to the operation of a conventional railway crossing. Moreover, the construction period is excessively long and the construction cost is high, and further the durability is low. Further, service and maintenance are difficult and there remains the risk of safety-related accident.
[Prior Art Document]
(Patent Document 1) 1. Korean Patent No. 10-0728467 (published on Jun. 13, 2007)